A new study suggests that more ice leaves Antarctica by melting from the underside of submerged ice shelves than it was earlier believed, which accounts for as much as 90 percent of ice loss in some areas.

Arctic sea ice this summer melted to a record low extent or will come a close second, two different research institutes said on Tuesday, confirming a trend which could yield an ice-free summer within a decade.

Greenland`s continent-sized icesheet is being significantly eroded by winds and currents that drive warmer water into fjords, where it carves out the base of coastal glaciers, according to studies released on Sunday.